Aatd abeam



(No Model.)

A. L. WASHBURN & A. L. JOUBNEAY.

GARGOUPLING. No. 298,526. Patented May 13, 1884.

WITNESSES JM Q,

Afforneyyi" Unirn Sra'rns Pnrnnr Oriana,

ANDRElV LYN OH XVASHBURN, OF NEWV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND ABRAM L. JOURNEAY, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 298,526, dated May 13, 1884.

Application filed January 14, 1884. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW L. Wasn- BURN and ABRAM L. J OURNEAY, citizens of the United States, the former residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, and the latter residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawautomatic engagement of link, the latter liftings.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and especially to that class of the same which effect an automatic coupling by means of a gravityhook; and it has for its object to provide a device which will be certain in its operation and in which the construction will be far superior to other devices of this class, so that all danger of accidents will be avoided.

With these and other objects in view the said invention consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as here inafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of improved car-coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the draw-head of an ordinary car, which has the flaring mouth B and the link-chamber O, the latter comprising a back wall, D, bottom E, and top F. 111 top of draw-head is formed a longitudinal slot, G, that opens at its rear end into a longitudinally-disposed recess, H, in back wall, D, of link-chamber (J, the front end of the slot communicating with the said cham her through the top wall, F. In the recess H is neatly received the rear end of agravity-hook, I, which is pivoted in said recess by means of a transverse pin or bolt, J, the end of the hook being bifurcated or formed with an open elongated slot, K, to clasp the pivot-pin and work vertically in the slot G. A slot, L, is formed in bottom E of link-chamber O, to admit the tongue 0 of the gravity-hook, the front edge of this slot being beveled rearwardly, as shown, so that it will support the hook and cause the same to move up in slot G, as illustrated in Fig. 2,. during coupling.

The coupling-hook I consists of ashank, M, to the outer end of which is attached the upper end of the tongue O, the front edge of the latter being formed with a gradual curve from the top to the bottom, in a rearward direction.

The construction above described facilitates ing hook as it enters the draw-head and passing in rear of the tongue 0 of same, when the gravity-hook I will fall and effect a complete coupling. The back wall, D, of link-chamber limits movement of link rearwardly in the draw-head, so that it cannot damage the pivot of hook, and the top wall, F, on both sides of slot G, curves upwardly from the back wall toward. the point of the draw-head, thereby providing room for the reception and retention of the link. The link fits around the curved back edge of tongue 0 of gravity-hook, so that the latter will be drawn forward by draft of cars into the slot K, and serve to hold the same down and obviateall danger of it being jarred up, which sometimes occurs. StripsN are secured to the sides of the slot G, the shank of the hook working between the strips and the tongue O working outside and forward of the strips, the latter serving to guide the movements of the hook; andif the said hook should become broken, misplaced, or lost at any time, an ordinary coupling-pin may be employed to effect the coupling by dropping the said pin through the slot G, chamber 0, and recess or slot L, the front ends of the strips N preventing any backward movement to the upper end of the couplingpin. \Vhen the cars are coupled and the draft is on the coupling or gravityhook, the front upper edge of the latter is received into a recess 1? in the rear of the mouth B of draw-head and at front end of slot G, and by this means the strain comes against the draw-head instead of on the pivot-pin of the gravity-hook. The top S of this recess projects over the upper end of gravity-hook and retains the same down from vertical displacement when draft is applied to cars.

To lift the gravity-hook we provide any suitable chain mechanism, connecting with an eye, R, secured to top of same, the gravity-hook being raised in the usual manner, so as to permit the withdrawal of link from draw-head.

It is sometimes found desirable to lock the gravity-hook from being raised or coupled, and to effect this the said hook is raised up and carried forward, (the slot K permitting this movement, )and then forced downward through the slot G- and link-chamber G, the lower end of the tongue fitting in a recess, Q, cut in the bottom E, forward of the slot L, and thuslocking the gravity-hook from being raised.

The operation of our invention is obvious, and need not be particularly pointed out here.

The construction of the device is simple, durable, inexpensive, and efficient, and effects an automatic and certain coupling without the use of springs or other supplementary devices.

By means of the strips N an ordinary pin may be used should the gravity-hook become lost or broken, and it will also be seen that the compact construction shown precludes any possibility of the hook jumping or jarring out of place, such as ordinarily occurs.

The automatic coupling herein described and shown may be attached with ease to any car in use, and serve all the purposes mentioned.

Having fully described our invention, we claim as new 1. In an automatic car-coupling, the combination, wit-h the draw head having flaring mouth B and link-chamber (3, a recess, H, in rear. of said chamber, and a slot, G, above the same, of a gravity-hook having its shank bifurcated or slotted at K to clasp a transverse pin or bolt, and having its tongue 0 fitting in a slot in the bottom of the draw-head, and a recess, Q, forward of the slot L, as set forth.

2. As an improvement in automatic car;

couplings, the combination, with the drawhead formed with mouth B and a link-chamber, 0, having the straight abrupt back wall, D, to obviate damage to pivot of the coupling-hook, of the recess H in rear of the back wall, the slot G, extending from a point over the pivot of gravity-hook to rear edge of mouth 13, the slot L at bottom of chamber 0, having beveled front edge, forming the only support for the gravity-hook to retain it up in the draw-head, so that an automatic coupling will be effected, a recess, 1?, in the draw-head, to receive the upper end of hook, and aslot, K, at rear end of the shank of couplinghook, to re ceive a transverse pin or bolt, J, the tongue 0 of the hook being connected to the upper end of the shank, and curving downwardly in a rearward direction, as set forth.

In a car-coupling, the combination,witl1 the draw-head having flaring mouth B and link-chamber O, a recess, H, in rear of said chamber, and a slot, G, above the same, of a gravity-hook, Lhaving its shank bifurcated at its inner end to clasp atransverse pivot pin or bolt, J, strips N, secured to the side walls of slot G, atongue, O, of the hook, fitting in a slot, L, in the bottom of the draw-head, and a recess, Q, forward of the said slot L, as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of witnesses.

ANDREW LYNCH WASHBURN. ABltAlll L. JOURNEAY.

\Vitnesses to signature of A. L. \Vashburn:

W. W. WASI-IBURN, E. G. XVILLIAMs.

XVitnesses to signature of A. L. J ourneay:

GEO. N. Tommy, WM. KIRLIoKs. 

